Catching Up
by Dr. Rex Greylin
Summary: Five years after Graduation four old friends get together for a few drinks. Let's listen in...


**Catching Up**

By: Dr. Rex Greylin

The redheaded woman and her partner strolled into The Naked Mole Rat as though they owned the place. The blonde man by her side looked around with the practiced eye of a supervisor… well… supervising.

"Four years of culinary arts schooling and you open a _bar_?" she asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"It's not just a 'bar,'" he replied, smiling. "It's a 'bar and grill.' Note the wait staff serving more than just drinks."

"Right. I see Scotch Eggs, burgers and wings. Real fancy place," she teased, her green eyes twinkling.

He was about to reply with another good natured jibe when he saw the people they were there to meet. "Look, they're here already," he said, pointing to a table.

The redhead looked over and saw their friends. The gentleman was waving emphatically, his long, dark hair tied back this time. His brunette companion simply raised her near empty beer mug in acknowledgement while barely moving from the laissez-faire posture she always adopted.

As the newcomers to the table sat down, the brunette piped up. "Hey Kimmie and… um… that guy whose name escapes me right now," she smiled.

The blonde man smirked. "Ha ha. That running gag ran out of steam years ago."

While the foursome started chatting, a familiar face from days long past appeared with a tray of drinks. "Here you guys go, the Usuals," she said, depositing various glasses around the table. "You know, you ladies are the only reason we stock the good stuff here. I'm trying to con the boss here into hiring a real Sommelier just because of you," the brown-haired, once-cheerleader grinned as she moved back to behind the bar.

Kim sipped her glass of wine. "I still can't believe you hired Bonnie Rockwaller as a bartender."

"Well, among other reasons," the blonde "Boss" beamed as he raised his own glass, "she mixes a mean Mojito."

The brunette looked at her beer and deadpanned, "And this is the best head I've gotten from a chick in a long time."

Kim spluttered through her wine as a blush glowed brightly. The rest of the table roared in laughter. After a few minutes of gagging and coughing, she recovered enough to glare at her friend. "That was mean, you know."

"Yeah," the brunette laughed, her own emerald eyes twinkling. "But it was so worth it to see vintage Veramonte Merlot spew from your nose."

"You just remember what they say about payback," the redhead smirked. "One of these days I'm going to have you choking on that Edelstoff you keep tipping."

"Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that," the pale woman smiled. "You've been trying for years and failed miserably every time."

"Speaking of 'failing miserably,'" the "Boss" started. "What's with the facial hair, Doc?"

"And you guys say I'm mean."

The man just smiled, ignoring his friend's comment, and stroked his thin mustache and goatee. "I thought I'd try something different. Maybe the whole 'Classic Super-villain' thing. What do you think?"

Kim tried to hide her grin. "I think it just looks like your face is dirty."

"Thank you," the brunette said, clearly happy someone agreed. "And get a haircut while you're at it. You look like a damn hippie."

"Well, it's a work in progress anyway." Doc huffed and turned to woman sitting next to him. "At least it's not as bad as the pageboy thing _you're _sporting these days."

"Oh, one bad haircut and you jump all over it," she snapped back, her own pale skin darkening as a faint blush crept over her. "And what about Ron? He's had the same hairstyle for almost ten years."

"I still can't believe it's been that long," Kim said, eyes somewhat far off. "I mean, it seems like Graduation was only yesterday."

"Ugh," Ron stated. "Can we please not mention that?"

"Aww," the pale woman mocked. "Is Little Ronnie bummed about his Kimmie going off to Paris for college when he was stuck here in Middleton?"

"No!" he said, a little quickly. Then he paused. "Okay, maybe a little," he admitted while looking down at his drink.

Kim laid a comforting hand on Ron's. "That's so sweet," she said as she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek and smiled. "But you'll have to hold out a while longer. I'm planning to go to Oxford for my post-grad work."

The brunette across the table piped up. "Soon we'll have to start calling you 'Doctor Kimmie,' won't we?"

Doc raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What I don't get is, why archaeology?" he asked. "Isn't that going to be boring after everything else you've done?"

Kim simply shrugged. "I know it's not going to be like 'Crypt Looter,' but I find it fascinating."

"Yeah," Ron put in, smiling. "I can just see you running around like 'Kentucky Smith,' bullwhip and all, going 'Frogs, why'd it have to be frogs?'"

Kim giggled at that. "I suppose it could be worse," she said, emerald eyes twinkling. "I could be like you and be all 'Monkeys! AH!'"

"What is this?" the blonde man huffed. "Pick on Ron day?"

"Isn't it always?" the raven haired woman grinned.

A loud cheer rose up from another part of the bar and drowned out Ron's response. "What's going on over there?" Kim wondered.

"Bonnie told me some guys were here for a buddy's birthday," Ron said as he took a sip of his drink.

The brunette winced. "The Twenty-one Gun Salute," she muttered. "Ouch."

"What's that?" the Doc asked, confused.

Kim grimaced along with her friend. "Twenty-one shots on your twenty-first."

"That doesn't seem very smart."

"Thank you for your pithy observation, Dr. Drew," Kim smirked.

"I'm just saying…"

The brunette cut him off. "We all know what you're saying, Drew. Zip it." She took a swig of her beer and said, "It's about the last hurrah of youth and stupidity. Even _you_ were young and stupid once." She smiled as she signaled the bartender, Bonnie, for another round. "Hell, you've even got the beat-downs to prove it."

Ron didn't look convinced. "I don't know. I never really bought into the whole 'drinking as a rite of passage' thing. Yeah I had a few on my twenty-first, but that was only because it was my birthday." He turned to look at his red-haired friend. "How about you, Kim?"

Kim suddenly found her half-empty glass of wine quite fascinating. Their raven-haired friend snickered behind her beer. "She did it too, kiddo."

"What?" Ron's eyebrows shot up in disbelief as Drew almost choked on the Fuzzy Navel he chose to sip at exactly the wrong time.

"Well it's not like it was planned," Kim said, sheepishly. "You remember that hole in the wall pub down the street from where my dorm room was? That's where we went. And I assure you, it wasn't entirely by choice." Kim glared at her dark haired friend.

"Hey, _you're_ the one always spouting that 'Anything's possible' garbage." The pale woman smirked. "And if you recall, I was right there keeping up with you."

"Yeah. Me with Barbayannis - Ouzo, of all things! - and you with scotch." Kim shot an accusatory finger at her friend. "And on top of it all, I don't even remember half the night!"

"I made sure you slept it off in a safe place."

"I woke up in your bed, hung over as hell, with no idea how I got there." Kim voice was rising feverishly. "And you were curled up next to me!"

"My place was closer."

"_WE WERE NAKED, SHEILA!_" Ron and Drew almost fell out of their chairs laughing at the exchange in front of them.

The dark-haired woman grinned wickedly and her jade eyes twinkled. "Am I really that coyote ugly?" Kim shot her friend a look that could melt steel.

"Hey, I told you we ended up wearing your dinner that night," her friend said, grin widening. "It's not my fault you can't hold your liquor." Kim sighed and put her head in her hands as the brunette beauty continued, giggling, "And besides, I couldn't resist messing with you once more."

"At least now we know why you can't stand ouzo," Drew snickered as they let out another round of raucous laughing, this time with a large number of people around them joining in. Kim's face turned bright red as she realized they had been overheard. Whether it was with embarrassment or indignation couldn't be seen.

"So how's work?" Kim muttered into her hands, desperately changing the subject.

The brunette let out an exasperated grunt, taking a big mouthful of her beer while Drew simply sighed and said, "Not so good. All they send us these days are recruits."

"Fucking rookies," the pale woman swore, slamming her mug down with enough force to spill a few drops.

"I mean, it feels great to be doing some good for a change and it's nice that we're able to help Betty and all," Drew started. "But…"

Sheila cut him off. "But fucking _rookies_!" she practically yelled, clearly displeased. "I swear I'm losing my edge. I can't cut loose like I could back when you and I rumbled, Kim. And it's driving me crazy."

Kim sighed sympathetically. "I know how you feel Sheila. It's like I'm getting rusty myself without a decent sparring partner. I almost miss the old days." Even Ron had to concede the point with a nod.

Suddenly, everyone at the table looked up. Their eyes flashed to meet every pair around them, the same thought passing through all their minds. Smiling at each other, they knew what they needed to do.

"Do you think Betty will let us?" Drew asked hopefully.

"You just leave that up to me," Kim smiled. "I still have some pull at GJ, even after all this time."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, his eyes lighting up at the prospect. "You guys just get a good scheme ready. We'll be there."

The raven-haired woman's smile turned wicked as she raised a fist encased with green, glowing fire. "You're going down this time, _Princess_."

Kim returned her friend's look. "I don't think so, _Shego_. I've whipped you five years ago and I'm not going to stop now."

"And I have just the perfect idea to 'take over the world,'" Drew said as he began to chuckle slightly maniacally. "Come, Shego. We have to make preparations."

As everyone at the table got up to get ready, Ron interrupted. "Hey, I just thought of something."

They all turned to look at him questioningly.

"Umm," he started, sheepishly. "Whose turn is it to pick up the tab?"

_~fin~_


End file.
